It is found in most of Europe and northern Africa and east across the Palearctic to the Urals and the Altai Mountains.

The forewing is brownish-yellow or sandy with three toothed white transverse bands.

The innermost is close to the base and rather narrow, the two outermost are wider and double (with a yellow-brown stripe in the middle).

Otherwise, the wings have several thin white transverse stripes, more or less complete, but the brownish-yellow ground colour predominates.

[1] The larvae of sandy carpet moths live in flowers and capsules of carnations (family Caryophyllaceae);[2] in particular they feed on the seed pods of various campions (Silene species).